Device for dispensing and orienting ammunition for firearms



Dec. 30, 1952 R. 1.. GAMBLE 2,623,803

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING AND ORIENTING AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS Filed April 21', 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 f/BI I I F|6 2 3nvento1;

ROY L. GAMBLE attorneys Dec. 30, 1952 R. GAMBLE 2,623,803

4 DEVICE FOR DISPEN SING AND ORIENTING AMMUNITION FOR' FIREARMS Filed April 21, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ROY L. GAMBLE 3nventor Gttomegs Patented Dec. 30, 1952 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING AND ORIENTING AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS Roy L. Gamble, Tacoma, Wash.

Application April 21, 1950, Serial No. 157,257

3 Claims.

This invention consists of a cartridge receiving chamber normally of a size to accept a full box of cartridges so that in one operation a complete box of cartridges will be disposed of. Means are provided at the bottom of the hopperlike chamber to dispense the cartridges one at a time in a horizontal position and normally the base and bullet ends will be alternately disposed in the hopper as they were in the cartridge. box. After the cartridge has been dispensed means are provided as the cartridge drops fromv the device for presenting it to the user either base foremost or bullet foremost, depending upon which of two alternate arrangements are used with the device. r v

The gradual shift of the masses of population from the rural areas into centers of dense population has, to a marked degree, changed the shooting habits and facilities of the users offirearms. In the past, persons living in rural areas would normally employ a repeating form of .rifie,

either manually operated or capable of semiautomatic fire, and would charge the rifle near their residence and then would go out into the field looking for small game and the like. Normally, one such charge would probably be. all the cartridges that would be used at one period. The firearms lover, though, of the present .day, quite often finds his field of activities greatly curtailed and he normally must content himself with shooting at targetson a range where proper safety regulations can be maintained, or togo to some open space where he can set up improvised ta'r'gets, such as tin cans, bottles, and the under-such conditions, due to the trouble of going' 'to'this safe place, will normally prefer to fire-a large number of rounds. It is under such conditions that it becomes necessary to re-load the repeating arm a number of times and-thus the over-all rapidity of fire of the firearm is reduced to a point where a person can, to allintents and purposes, fire about the same number of rounds over the same period with a singlesiderably more time to load the firearm than it.

does to fire the loaded magazine. Thispresent device is believed to go far into correcting this condition and making it possible for the user or a repeating arm to much more quickly load his weapon. It also, is then quite an advantage to the person with a singl shot arm, in that the ammunition is always presented to himin the same sense, either point foremost or base foremost.

The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a container which will accept a full box of the smaller rifle ammunition at one charging operation and will then present the ammunition to the user, one at a time, and oriented in their presentation in the same way,

even though they may be contained in the device disposed alternately point and base.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispensing device that is easily charged with prevent bridging of the ammunition in the hopper-like container, so that the ammunition can be continuously fed without stoppages.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hopper bottom and dispensing slide so arranged as to insure the delivery of only one cartridge at a time, and to further assist in preventing the bridging over of the discharge opening so as to insure continuity of delivery.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a cartridge dispensing device, means to insure the dispensing of a cartridge base foremost without regard to how the cartridges lie in the dispensing hopper.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cartridge dispensing device which will present the cartridges contained therein, one at a time, point foremost without regard as to how they lie in the dispensing hopper.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended:

or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Figure .1 is a perspective view of one of the preferred arangements of the cartridge dispensing and orienting device made after the teachings of this present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the device of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view with certain parts shown in section to better illustrate certain parts of the cartridge handling means;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cartridge dispensing slide or ejector which co-acts with the elements of Figure 3 to dispense cartridges individually.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken in the same sense as Figure 2 and showing the means for insuring that. cartridges are dispensed one at a time;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken in the same sense as Figure 6, but showing the cartridge dispensing plunger orslide-in a dif ferent operating position;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view through the dispensing chute of theform wherein the cartridges are presented point or bullet first;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view-of an alterna-te arrangement, similar in part, to Figure 8, but showing the means employed to insure the delivery of cartridges base or rim foremost.

Referring, more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral Ill designates the main body of my-dispensing device. This may be formed of any suitable material. It maybe formed of sheet-metal, or, preferably, it should be molded of plastic material or some of the various die-casting metals. A box-like container, or"

chamber I2, is thus provided having the slidable closure I4, which should have suitable guideways to insure a reasonably tight dirt and rain-proof enclosure for chamber I2. The bottom of chamber I2 is formed with a sloping floor or bottom as I6, so that a hopper-like arrangement is provided'out of chamber I2, having at its lowermost portion the cartridge dispensing opening I8. The construction of'bottom I6 is probably best illustrated in Figure 3, in which it will be noted that the sloping floor is provided with two open ended slots 20. This arrangement provides three floor portions as 22, 24 and 26. The floor. portions 22 and 26 terminate in wedge-like outer ends, each having a horizontal bottom surface. The central floor portion 24 is provided at its outer end with a lug 32 which extends downwardly until it contacts the slider-supporting, slideway 3B; This construction is well illustrated in-Fig'ures 2 and 3Iand it is to be noted that the outward surface as 34 of lug ,32 is sloping,v This serves a purpose in'insuring theproper delivery of the cartridges.-

In Figure 4 is illustrated "the cartridge ejector or. plunger 40 which is adapted to slide on slideway 36.' Ejector 4U is'provided with a pressure plate 42 of considerable area so that .the thumb,

or one or more fingers, can exert considerable pressure thereon. It also forms a base for the ejector to which the outstanding lugs 44 and 46 are ,secured. Lugs 44 and 4B, which may. be termed ejector lugs, are disposed in the assembled position, one on eachside of the downward extending lug 32, and the. main portions ,of lugs. and 46 lie under floor portions 22 and 26. Formed as part of lugs 44 and 4B are the upwardlyextending guide and positioning ribs 48 and 50, which in turn, normally are positioned within slots of floor I 6. The ejector, of course; is,slidably mounted upon slidewayfli' and this reciprocation is limited by the side slot 52, which in turn, form' astop by engaging at alternate ends in accordance with its move'mentthe stop screw 54 which normally is threaded into the wall of container I0. Lugs 44 and 45 and ribs 48 and 50 are similarly formed on their ends. Ribs 48 and 50 are stepped providing a lower cartridge seat as at 54, an upper cartridge seat at 56, and a cartridge cam surface at 58. The relationship and use of these various surfaces will be apparent, it is believed, from a study of Figures 6 and 7 It is. to lie-noted in Figurecfi that none of these surfaces contact the cartridge. In Figure 7 it is to be noted that one cartridge has been ejected, one cartridge is lying upon rest portion 54, another. is positioned on portion 56, and incidental to the movement a cartridge, as number 5 in Figure '7, has been cammed upwardly so that itwill be properly positioned and bridging over of the ,discharge'openings I8 guarded against. To further insure against the bridging over of the cartridges at the discharge openings a plurality of screws or pins are secured within plate 42", and these screws ISO/extend into the mass of cartridges when the ejector is moved, as is illustrated in Figure 7. A relieved cut is'shown at 62 which occurs also on the outside face of lug 46 and the purpose is to provide clearance for the cartridge rim. The amount of this relief should be normally equal to the amount the rim of the cartridge extends outwardly from the body; of the same: Rib 64 forms a retaining ledge overwhich the cartridge-must be forced by ejector 40 and it should be cutshort'of being the full width of slide-way 36 to provide clearance for the cartridge rim as at 65. These two items, to-

gether with notches 61 cut'in wall 66 of body- IU, provide a guideway cut for the cartridge rim which tends to momentarily arrest the base of the cartridgeand assists in starting the cartridge bulletdownwardly as it is ejected from the device.

Disposed centrally between lugs 44 and 46"is a cylindrical recess 68 adapted to form a seat for compression spring Ill bearing against stop lug 32, which function is to return the cartridge ejector to the position shown in Figures 2 and 6 so that itwill be ready for a repetition of the ejection cycle.

Disposed for reciprocationwithin chamber I2 is a. cartridge follower 12. by a through pin I4 set in'a horizontally elon gatedslot 15 which is preferably headed over on its end so that it can be readily gripped as Attention'is invited'to the fact thatithelower. surface of follower 12 shoulde/b curvedorhave two joined sloping surfaces,v after the showing of Figure 2 so that the entire mass of cartridges. contained in the cartridgeibox. will be distortedfrom their rectangular .form and thus be less apt.

to bridge overwithin chamber I2.

Owing to the shapeofthe hopper formedwith in chamber I2 by theslopingfloor I6, the various cartridges lie. in a. horizontal position;. and, asv they pass through opening I8, they are ejected.- normally, in ahorizontal position; excepting. for, the retarding eifectof the rimend-of thmr tridge being retained momentarily in thegroov ing.arrangementiprovidedby outs 62 and the floor at 65. The cartridge, except forthis retarding" action, is permitted to roll "out and drop Thisblock is guidedunder the influence of gravity and it meets midway in its descent, a fulcrum member 80 in a discharge chamber 8! which is disposed centrally or medially with respect to the tapering passageway 82; and this is a basic requirement in that the cartridges may be delivered in a horizontal position with the bullet faced either to the left, as viewed, or reversed and faced to the right. The fulcrum or' lug 8D is a balancing point and a stoppage of motion, momentarily, permits the weight of the bullet to up-end th cartridge'so that .it is delivered bullet foremost as is illustrated in'Fi'gure 8. Passageway 82, in vertical cross-section, is concave in its upper portion and convex in its lower portion.

In Figure 9 a further sequence of operation is employed in that a fulcrum 86 is preferably formed with a broader base so that a more pronounced guiding action is provided. Here again, fulcrum 85 is'centered in passageway 88 as the cartridges may be delivered with the bullets on either side of the passageway 88. As the bullets turn, the cartridge with the axis disposed substantially vertically the bullet end of the cartridge contacts the stop or abutment member 99. As the bullet end of the cartridge is arrested the rim end is free to revolve, consequently, the action illustrated in Figure 9 occurs and the cartridge is discharged out through th tapering discharge opening 92 rim first as distinguished from the showing of Figure 8, in which the cartridge is discharged from that delivery opening 85 bullet first.

The functioning of this device, in brief, is substantially as follows: When a shooter wishes,

cartridges dispensed and oriented for him, he will have the devic equipped either with the discharge arrangement of Figure 8 or of Figure 9, and his choice will be in accordance with the type of arm, normally, which he proposes to load. Certain arms use tubular magazines in the front stop of the gun. These must be entered into the magazine point or bullet foremost. The other type of tubular magazines, normally, require the entering of the cartridges from the muzzle end of the weapon and in this case they must be entered base first. There are many cases, however, where the user may merely wish to have cartridges dispensed for him, such as in using a single shot rifle, or many of the rifles, which, although they are not normally repeating rifles, will use a loading pack form, which in effect, converts the same to a single-shot weapon. In any event, the cartridge is dispensed by pressing inwardly on pressure plate 42. This causes the ejector unit, shown in detail in Figure 4, to move inwardly into body iii of the dispenser. This functioning is probably best illustrated in Figures 6 and '7. Normally, the ejector and its various lugs do not contact the cartridges which are axially supported by the floor member l6 which forms the hopper bottom. As the pressure plate is pressed inwardly, however, a series of actions occur in that the one cartridge, as has been indicated by numeral l in Figure 6, is forced out, up and over rib 64 and out opening it. At the same time, cartridges 2, 3 and 5 are definitely positioned in a manner that has been found to avoid bridging over of the cartridges at the discharge portion of the hopper. This action is further asured by the functioning of rod 60 which will raise cartridges 6 and 8 so that the entire mass of cartridges is loosened and then, as pressure is released from the pressure plate, spring 10 will move the plate out of the ejector out of from the above description and the disclosure in' the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of a device for dispensing and orienting ammunition for firearms.

Having thus disclosed the invention,

1. A device for dispensing cartridges, comprising: a cartridge chamber having a sloping floor with two slots and a side discharge opening on the level of and spaced from the lowermost portion of said floor; a cartridge follower disposed for vertical movement in said chamber, the lower surface of said follower being formed with two joining sloping surfaces; a spring returned cartridge ejector disposed for horizontal reciprocation at the level of said discharge opening and having two outstanding lugs positioned under said floor with upwardly disposed stepped ribs p'ositioned within the slots of said sloping floor, the

inward ends of said lugs passing into the spacebetween said sloping floor and said discharge opening when the ejector is in an inward position, each rib having two seats for cartridges formed by the stepped portion thereof; and a plu-. rality of pins extending from the outer end of said ejector to within said chamber to urge cartridges in said chamber toward said discharge opening.

2. A device for dispensing cartridges to fall on fulcrum means for orientation for rim or bullet first presentation to the user, comprising: a cartridge chamber having a sloping floor with two slots and having a side discharge opening on the level of and spaced from the lowermost portion of said floor, said cartridge chamber having an upstanding rib on the lower portion of said side discharge opening, said rib being shorter than the full length of a cartridge and having its ends spaced from the ends of said discharge opening a distance equal to the thickness of a cartridge rim; a spring pressed cartridge follower disposed for vertical movement in said chamber; and a spring returned cartridge ejector disposed for horizontal reciprocation at the level of said discharge opening and having two outstanding lugs positioned under said floor with upwardly disposed stepped ribs positioned within the slots of said sloping floor, the inward ends of said lugs passing into the space between said sloping floor and said discharge opening when the ejector is in an inward position, the inward ends of said lugs having relieved side edges facing said discharge opening forming a recess between said lugs and the adjacent walls of said chamber having a width equal to the thickness of a cartridge rim; whereby a cartridge being ejected from said chamber has its rim momentarily arrested, because it is disposed in said recess and between said rib and the end of said discharge opening, and the cartridge falls from said discharge opening oriented with its rim at a level above its bullet.

3. A device for dispensing cartridges to fall on fulcrum mean for orientation for rim or bullet first presentation to the user, comprising: a cartridge chamber having a sloping floor with two 1 claim:

slots and having a sidedischarge openingonthe,

level of and spaced from theiowermostportion of said floor; a cartridge follower disposed :for

the inward ends of said lugs passing mm th space between said sloping floor and'saidldischarge opening when the ejector is in an inward position; the inward ends of said lugs having relievedside edges facing said discharge opening forming a recess betweensai'dilugsand the ad'- jacent walls of said chamber having a width equal to the thickness of a 'cartri'dgerim; whereby a cartridge being ejected fromsaid chamber hasits rim momentarily arrested, because it-is disposed-in said recess and 1between-said rib and the end of' said discharge opening, and the cartridge fallsfrom saiddischarge opening oriented with-its-rim at aievel above its bullet; and rigid pusher'means extending from-the outer BHd'Of said ejector-to withinsaid chambertourge car-- tridgesinsaid chamber toward said discharge opening. ROYL. GAMBLE.

Thefollowing, references: (are of record ingthe RErERENcEsQIT p file of this. patent:

UNITED STA'I' ES PA'IENTS'.

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